Adaptive cruise controllers which regulate the speed of the corresponding vehicle in such a way that a desired distance or distance range from a vehicle traveling ahead is maintained are known from the prior art. This significantly relieves the driver, who no longer has to carry out the corresponding braking steps and acceleration steps.
A system for automatically detecting road signs and may integrate the road sign detection into an adaptive cruise controller is known. Likewise, a system for automatically detecting road signs and setting an accelerator pedal sensitivity as a function of a detected speed limit is also known in the prior art.
The prior art also includes a motor vehicle having a camera system for automatically detecting road signs and having an adaptive cruise controller to which a setpoint speed can be predefined. If a speed limit which does not correspond to the setpoint speed is detected on the basis of a road sign, the adaptive cruise controller is switched off and, if appropriate, switched on again with a setpoint speed which has been updated to the speed limit.
A motor vehicle having an adaptive cruise controller and a system for automatically detecting and evaluating road signs is also known in the prior art. It is proposed that, when a section of road with a speed limit is traveled on, this speed limit is to limit in the upward direction the setpoint speed which is to determined by the adaptive cruise controller. This is intended to prevent the prescribed speed limit being exceeded within the scope of the distance control.
However, it is a disadvantage with this prior art that in this approach the predefined speed limit is given preference unilaterally over other factors, such as e.g. distance control and driving comfort.